Apparatus for distilling wood



(No Model.)

E. KOCH.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING 'WO0Di No. 316,794. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

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EBEItI-IARD KOOI-I, on NEW- ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

APPARATUS FOR DlSTl LLING W000.

FJPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,794, dated April 28, 1885. Application filed July 18,'I884. (No model.)

f 0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EBERHARD- KooH, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Dist-illing WVood, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanyin'g drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical central section of my improved steam-carbonizing apparatus, with a side view of the car and turntable, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Thepresentinvention relates to animproved apparatus for distilling wood, for the dry distillation of wood, and the charring of the same. In the device at present in use it is frequently necessary for the operator to enter the retorts, which require to be more or less cooled for the purpose, and great expense is incurred in the loss of heat and the injurious effects of continual expansion and contraction of the retort and masonry. I design to overcome these defects by means of a retort which is provided with a track extending from the outside, by

means of which a car containing the Wood to be charred may be run into the retort, after which it is sealed up. Beneath the retort is a furnace through which passes a coil-pipe extending into the retort, through which steam The said superheated steam passes through the retort containing the wood. The steam, after acting on the wood and being impregnated with the vapors rising from the wood, passes out through a pipe into aworm immersed in cold water, and is thus liquefied. This liquid may afterward be changed, distilled, and rectified into its component parts, all of which will now be fully set forth in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a sheetiron retort, of the proper size, provided externally with suitable masonry, B. The lower end of the retort is provided with a suitable furnace, 0, having a suitable flue, D, extend.

ing rearwardly beneath the retort, and having a suitable outlet or chimney, E. A coilpipe, F, having its forward end opening outwardly at the front of the furnace, extends inwardly through the furnace and the flue D,

thence upwardly at its rear end and opening sonry. The external masonry, B, is also provided with a door, H. A space is designed to be provided between the retort and the external walls of the apparatus, so that the heat from the furnace mayenvelop the retort on all sides.

Upwardly from the retort A, and preferably at the forward side, I provide a pipe, I, of suitable size, curved laterally and passed down into and through a vessel of cold water in the form of a coil, J. The lower end of this coil is provided outwardlywith-a stopcock, K, by means of which the distilled matter may be drawn off into a suitable reservoir. A suitable steam-gage, L, communicating inwardly with the retort, is placed in any suitable position over the apparatus, by means of which the temperature of the retort may at all times be shown.

Immediately forward and opposite this apparatus I design to provide a second retort, in all respects similar to the first, for the especial purpose and to act as a cooling-reservoir for the carbonized wood removed from the re tort, as otherwise the same, on coming in contact with the air, would ignite immediately. Between these apparatuses I design to furnish a track by means of which a car, M, having a turn-table, N, thereon, may be run in between the apparatuses. This turntable has rails thereon at a suitable distance apart, and designed to be at the same height from the ground as the track 0 within the retort. This car and turn-table M are designed to receive thereon a car, P, of any suitable construction, and designed to receive the wood therein.

In operating this device, the cars are loaded and run onto the turntable, and the doors H and G being removed are introduced into the retort. The said doors are then closed and made steam-tight by means of suitable pack- I tor.

either be screwed down or secured by keys, superheated steam, instead of an open fire, a 40 as desired. Fire is then started within the furnace to heat the coil, after which steam is introduced through the coil from the genera- The steam, after passing into the retort, heats the wood therein, and, being impregnated with the vapors issuing from the wood, passes out through the pipe I, through the worm J, immersed in cold water, where it is liquefied. This liquid, on being drawn off through the cock K into a suitable reservoir, may pass through a system of distillation and rectification, as found necessary. When the operation of carbonizing is finished, the portable turn-table may be run up in front of the apparatus, after which the doors G and H open or are moved, which permits of the cars containing the carbonized wood being pushed out upon the said turn-table and removed. Asecondset of cars, already loaded, is now forthwith introduced into the retort, and the process repeated as before.

As will be noticed, in order that an equita: ble temperature may be obtained on all sides of the retort, communication is had therewith to the furnace, and the fire from the furnace forced to pass over the front of the retort when closed, as well as at their other sides, before it is allowed to escape through the chimney.

By using the steam-gage, the operator has the temperature at all times under control, which is of great importance, as the material to be used in distilling varies greatly in the different degrees of heat required in their operation. This avoids the danger .of damage to some carbonized material by overheating, which would be unavoidable without the use of said pyrometer. I also find that, by the use of better quality and a greater quantity of products are obtained. What I claim is- 1. The combination of a metallic retort having suitable external masonry, the forward side having air-tight doors, the retort having steam-tight doors at the forward side, with a steam-generator and furnace adapted to heat the retort, with a superheater located in the said furnace to deliver superheated steam into the retort, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with-a furnace, as described, of a retort having fiues at the front and rear ends, and a coil-pipe or superheater located in a horizontal flue, D, of said furnace and over the firechamber, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the retort, provided With an airtight door, a rail-track therein for a car-tru.ck,'a furnace having a flue, D, beneath the retort, a steam-superheating pipecoil in said flue communicating with the interior of the retort, and a pipe leading from the latter to a condenser,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a retort having a coil-pipe or steam-superheater, F, connected therewith, (the furnace, the steam-gage'the condensing apparatus, and the car provided with a turn-table and track, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 29th day of May, 1884, in the presence of witnesses.

EBERHARD KOCH.

Witnesses:

L. J. MESTIER, G130. W. BEARING, Jr. 

